A mash-up deejay of film?

So, a rocket-fuel inventor, bohemian artist and science-fiction writer walk into a bar. Wait, we already know how that scenario ends: The science-fiction writer wins a bet, and millions of people discover that they’re immortal spiritual beings. Duh.

Here’s a better scenario: The writer (L. Ron Hubbard) solicits the help of his rocket-fuel inventor friend (Jack Parsons) and bohemian artist (Marjorie Cameron) to get people to a colony on the moon. See, there’s a story.

Bay Area filmmaker Craig Baldwin—a master deejay of film—dug that fictional history from the crates, so to speak. Just as a deejay cuts, scratches and samples, Baldwin uses discarded film clips from government archives, historic photos and live-action footage to create a collage narrative. It’s like a mash-up of history using film instead of turntables.

In a YouTube interview, Baldwin refers to his project as ventriloquism, inserting his words and ideas into the mouths of people from found footage. What you get is a crazy story about distinct historical figures—even a personified aerospace and defense company (Lockheed Martin)—government conspiracy, religion and science fiction, with some real history spliced in. Only Baldwin could juggle so many beats.